Jess Battison
One raging mum couldn’t believe it after her child’s school ‘rats on her’ for being taken on holiday during term-time.
It might be cheaper for us to have a cheeky little getaway in the sun outside of the school holidays – but it can land you with a fine.
And it doesn’t matter how well you’re doing with your homework.
Which this mum – whose kid is ‘top of the year’ – found out after a lovely eight days away.
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In the UK, if you want to take your child out of school during term time, you have to get permission from the head teacher and they can decide how many days away you get.
But if you don’t get permission from the school, you can be fined.
Despite this, many parents simply do it anyway. You can’t help it if you’re too cool for school I guess.
Writing on mumsnet, the furious mum said: “Just got penalty notice letters for DH [dear husband] and I.
“We only took DC [dear child] out of school last month for eight days, first ever time. I didn’t think a penalty was given unless DC is taken out for 10 days?”
She continued with high praise of just how hard-working her child is adding: “DC had 100 percent attendance outside of that and is top of year. No effect on education at all. Had assessments the week after we returned and got 97-100 percent!”
It seems that wherever she’s been, the mum’s practiced her French as she raged: “Am I being unreasonable to be a bit p***ed off the school ran straight to LA to rat on us?”
But not every parent was on this mum’s side as they wrote in response: “I’m not sure what you are complaining about? Do you think you shouldn’t get fined because they’re top of the class?
“The schools are obligated to report attendance.”
And one put: “Ran to the LEA to rat on you. Are you 12? You took your child out of school, pay the fine and stop complaining.”
However, other parents had some advice: “You just plan the cost of the fine into cost of holiday.”
And one wrote supportively: “I think a family holiday is extremely important and the reality is travelling is so much cheaper in term time.
“Some families may miss the opportunity to have a holiday if they can only go at Easter or in the summer break. And no, generally people don’t want to go camping in the rain down in Dorset.
"The government should be regulating the travel industry to make the cost of holidays fairer and more accessible to everyone during the school holidays.”